Caheckup mastitis diagnostic test
This cow-side test, developed in New Zealand by Farm Medix, identifies all bacterial mastitis pathogens, including strep, staph, pseudomonas, and E. coli.
It is commonly used for clinical mastitis, or for sub-clinical mastitis when a cow is alerted by an in-line system or after herd testing. For sub-clinicals, a test can help determine which quarter is infected.
A clean milk sample is taken from the infected quarter after foremilk is stripped out, plated out on the petri dish provided and incubated for 24 hours. The petri dishes are divided into four sections with agars which allow the different pathogens to be identified. Some growth can often be seen after 12 hours. The four sections include a reference section where no growth indicates the absence of mastitis pathogens and the cow is in the clear. The growth is compared with photos in the manual, allowing positive identification of the pathogen causing the mastitis. Veterinary advice is recommended for treatment or other action for the cow, as well as protocol development.
This product earned Farm Medix the Fieldays Launch NZ Innovation Award and the Most Viable Business Award.
The checkup kit costs $650 and includes the incubator. More information at www.farmmedix.com
MooMonitor + uses an accelerometer and RFID transponder to detect feeding, rumination, resting, and oestrous, recording movements up to 3 million times a day. The farmer is notified of cows to be checked for heat or health issues by laptop, tablet or mobile phone. (Photo supplied by Dairymaster).
MooMonitor +
This collar activity monitor from Dairymaster has been tried and proved in Ireland where it was developed. They are now used world-wide with 3000 in service in New Zealand.
An accelerometer and RFID unit are attached to a collar around the cow’s neck. The accelerometer records the movement of the cow’s head up to three million times a day to detect feeding, rumination, resting, and oestrous.
This information is sent back to a base station which can be fixed, or a mobile unit with the cows. Relevant cow activities detected by the base station are sent to
the cloud where they are processed and stored.
The farmer is notified by laptop, tablet or mobile phone with the app provided. Cows in heat and cows with suspect health, detected by their movement, are identified.
Additionally, mating, watch and draft details can be edited manually. Batteries will last up to ten years. Current retail price is from $160 + GST per collar and from $5000 + GST for the base station. See more at www.dairymaster.com
DTexH2o
The DTexH2o is an electronic water sensing probe which is fitted into the milk delivery line downstream of the cooler, and is connected to an alarm. When the milk-water ratio reaches 50:50, the alarm goes off, indicating the milk delivery should be switched from the vat to waste. Each dairy is calibrated so a second alarm sounds to tell the farmer exactly when to turn the tap, maximising the milk in the vat.
“Farmers dumping 20 litres of milk per milking are in effect, milking two or three cows a day for nothing”, DTexH2o director and inventor Graeme Franklin of Pahiatua said.
“There are now about 55 installed in the northern Wairarapa area. It has been approved by QCONZ and accepted by Fonterra.”
Distributed in New Zealand by PPP Industries, an installed system will cost about $2050.
Full marks go to Franklin for presenting a cost-benefit analysis.
Like most analyses, it makes some assumptions and the milk payment figures at the time of Fieldays need reviewing. However, it provides a basis for potential buyers to assess its value in their situation. See more at www.dtexh2o.com.
Temperature sensing bolus
These boluses from Smart Farm Data monitor the temperature in the rumen as an indicator of animal health and heat detection, and include an RFID transponder.
The temperature data and the cow ID is transmitted to a receiver. This is connected to the farm computer, tablet or smartphone, where an application graphs the temperature and interprets the data. The farmer is alerted to any significant temperature variations from the cow’s normal temperature profile. Temperature changes can occur with infections, strains of mastitis, ovulation or rapid changes in diet. If the immune system is compromised there can be a change in core temperature.
The temperature information will alert farmers early so they can pro-actively treat animals. The number of temperature events recorded and the upload frequency can be set by the farmer. Herds can be monitored simultaneously by strategically placed aerials linked to a wireless receiver. The bolus can also be programmed to match the animal’s NAIT number so stock movement can be monitored with RFIDs transmitted wirelessly to the farm computer.
This technology is currently being trialled in New Zealand and Northern Ireland. See more at www.smartfarmdata.com.
